Shangri-La, Sydney, Australia

Fluffy robe, outrageously large bed with its own pillow menu, sumptuous decor, and a chilled glass of champagne. This alone spells 'honeymoon'.

But at the end of your wriggling toes is a wall of windows, through which the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge gleam in the sunlight. Watch the view change with the hours as huge cruise ships pull in and out, and the traffic on the bridge tails off as the light fades. It may sound frenetic, but with triple-glazing, it's strangely calming and mesmerising.

The Shangri-La has a prime location in Sydney's Rocks district. Check with the concierge on your way out for tips about the best eateries in town, or take a stroll - you're a hop and skip from the Opera House - and try to work out which window is yours back up at the hotel. Go for evening drinks and cocktail or two at the Opera Bar, before heading back to the Shangri-La's exclusive Altitude Restaurant, for delicious modern Australian cuisine.

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WOW FACTOR That view. It never gets boring - it constantly changes, and little corners of the city forever reveal themselves to you, from the grand properties over on the Kirribilli peninsula to Luna Park (a '30s amusement park), which, in the dusky evening light, looks almost ghost-like.